


Inkling Cafe

by SaphiralovesTolkien



Category: The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Coffee, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Family Feels, Family Fluff, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, Original Character(s), Post-Avengers: Age of Ultron (Movie), Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Protective Avengers, Psychologists & Psychiatrists
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-04-11
Updated: 2018-04-26
Packaged: 2019-04-21 09:45:09
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 4,093
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14282244
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SaphiralovesTolkien/pseuds/SaphiralovesTolkien
Summary: All Victory wanted was to get his psychologist license, quit his job at the cafe, and help people who really needed it. Not in his plans? The nuclear bomb that was the Avengers. He definitely did NOT sign up to be their psychologist. It's really all Vision's fault.





	1. Vision

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! *wave* This is a fict that entered my head and wouldn't let go after reading other cafe inspired stories and drinking coffee. While most of this is going to be light hearted there will be some tough scenes and themes later on (much later on) and there will be warnings posted before each chapter. Updates will be infrequent.
> 
> No, I do not own the Avengers or anything Marvel-esque. Please don't sue me.

_Chapter One: Vision_

> _"The only thing I know for sure about today is coffee. Everything else is just wild speculation."_
> 
> _~Nanea Hoffman_

_Manhattan Island, New York_

He was so freaking close it was almost sad when he realized he could not, in fact, reach the top of the menu. He huffed and tried to stretch further, ignoring the voice in his head that said this was a really bad idea. The ladder he was standing on rocked ominously and he stilled for a moment before trying again, reaching out with long fingers which almost, but didn't, reach the menu. By the time he realized his position was compromised it was too late to rectify his mistake; should have just asked Carl, not that Carl would actually help him.

He let out a small shriek as the ladder finally fell only to be caught a second later by someone who he was undoubtedly going to give free coffee to, “ Thank you for catching me Mr.-”

He paused as he looked up into the face of one of the new members of the Avengers. The man was magenta, wore a gold cape, and had a yellow gem stuck in the middle of his forehead.

“You should really be more careful,” he said, gently setting the barista down, “and I would refrain from climbing any more ladders in the future.”

“I will keep that in mind,” said the barista, picking up the ladder and setting it aside to be put away later, “no more ladders.”

He brushed a piece of white hair aside and looked up at the Avenger, “I assume you did not just come in here to save random falling baristas, so what can I help you with?”

The man handed him a piece of paper with a list of coffees for the various members of the Avengers. The barista barely glanced at the list before starting to make the coffees while the magenta colored Avenger looked around the cafe.

It was quaint. The cafe was situated about a block from Avengers tower which allowed the patrons who sat in the rooftop gardens, to admire the gleaming tower that housed the famous heroes. Inside the cafe itself, there were lounge chairs and squishy armchairs with small round tables to set drinks on while one perused the numerous bookshelves around the room. It was not so much a hipster cafe as more something the owner had created based off the famous Eagle and Child in England. It was even called the Inkling Cafe based off the famous group of authors that used to sit in the Eagle and Child and talk about their novels.

The barista looked up from the latte machine and saw the Avenger looking at the menu with amusement, “I did not realize that there were coffee drinks named after the Avengers.”

The barista didn't bother to glance at the menu; he knew it all by heart, “Yes, it was something the owner thought would attract more customers and show a little of our appreciation for what the Avengers did here and now Sokovia. Although, you did destroy an entire city; you had a lot of people talking about that, some were unsure whether or not the Avengers should be the defense force for New York.”

The magenta Avenger looked down and started sorting out the sugar packets, “Yes. I am aware that many people see the Avengers as an unregulated force that only concerns itself with issues that they deem worthy. I fear that this development will cause issues further in the future.”

The barista hummed in acknowledge as he finished the last of the coffees; an Americano which he was positive was for Captain America, “Well whatever the world thinks, I will still support the Avengers; I do enjoy being alive.”

The barista gave the Avenger a small smile as he set the last drink on the counter and ducked down behind it to grabs trays. The Avenger placed the sugar packets back in their containers, color assorted, “If you don't mind me asking, what were you doing on the ladder?”

“Hmmm?”

“When I caught you after you fell, what were you trying to do?” The barista straightened back up with three trays in his hands, “I was trying to replace an old coffee name with a new one, but I couldn't quite reach it and, well, you know the rest.”

The Avenger glanced at the menu then at the barista who was putting the coffees in the trays, “If you would like, I can change the name for you.”

The barista looked up, “Would you? It needs to be changed before the owner gets back from her vacation with her girlfriend.”

He handed the magenta Avenger the new name, “Just slide the old one out and slide this one in.”

The barista went back to sticking the coffees in the trays while the Avenger changed the name. When he was done the barista exchanged the old name for three trays of coffee that he helped balance in the arms of the Avenger. When the barista looked up at the menu he saw the new name and blushed lightly as he turned back to the amused Avenger, “ It must be destiny that you came in here.”

The Avenger gave him a smile and somehow managed to free a hand and not drop any coffee, “Hello, I'm Vision.”

The barista smiled and gently shook his hand, “Victory.”

He helped rearrange the coffee trays in Vision’s arms before asking him to wait a moment and disappeared into the kitchen. Vision waited quietly, ignoring the not very, discrete looks the other patrons of the cafe were giving him. When Victory came back he had a purple and gold drink in his hand, “For catching me,” he explained as he expertly managed to stick the drink named after the present Avenger among the other coffees, “I don't know if you drink, but you can always give it to one of your teammates.”

Vision nodded, “I am sure I will see you again, Mr. Stark thinks your coffee is a gift from heaven.”

Victory laughed, “In that case, you should probably go; don't want to keep Iron man from his coffee.”

He watched as Vision carefully walked out the doors before turning to his next patron.

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	2. Sam

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Avengers want more coffee and we meet the Falcon! and Victory's annoying co-worker.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Did someone say 12 days till Infinity Wars? No? Just me? Alright well I don't own anything that looks like it belongs to someone else.

Inkling Cafe

By: SaphiralovesTolkien

 

_Chapter Two: Sam_

 

> _“I just love how coffee gives me the energy to pretend I know what the hell I'm doing.”_
> 
> _~Nanea Hoffman_

 

_Inkling Cafe, Manhattan Island, New York_

 

Victory was not one to get annoyed easily, but Carl definitely took the cake with the one to get him annoyed the quickest, “Carl how many times am I going to have to say no before you understand?”

 

He swept a book off one of the tables, stuck it back in its place in one of the bookshelves, and went behind the counter. Carl followed and leaned against the countertop getting directly in the way of the barista, “Come on V, just one date. I promise it will be fun.”

 

Victory gave him a cool green eyed stare, “For the last time no. Now you are blocking the counter and patrons from ordering, move. Alex won't like to hear that her business has decreased because _someone_ wasn't doing their job.”

 

Carl gave his younger co-worker an annoyed look, “I’m the assistant manager soon to become the owner when Alex marries my sister and gives it to me. When that happens you'll be _my_ worker and will have to do what I say.”

 

Victory rolled his eyes and gave him an unimpressed look, “What makes you think she's going to give you the cafe. She loves working here; she wouldn't give that up just because she got married.”

 

He went to turn on the machines, while Carl remained leaning against the counter following Victory’s every move. Victory tried to ignore him and gave the counter a wide berth. Carl had always had the delusion that their boss, Alexandra Skarskeld, was going to bequeath the cafe to him ever since she started dating his sister, Evalyn. He swore the two were going to get married and want to retire, which was preposterous considering Alex is 32, but it was hard to argue with him about it when he was so dead convinced.

 

Victory was putting pastries in the display box and noticed Carl still staring at him; it had gotten creepy about 5 minutes ago, “Stop staring at me, and move away from the counter so patrons can come and order.”

 

Carl straightened up and walked around until he got behind the counter where he leaned one side against it to give Victory a cocky grin, “Just say yes; I can promise that you'll have a very good time.”

 

Victory gave him a very pointed look, “No means no; I'm interested in dating anyone right now.”

 

 _‘And certainly not you,’_ he thought.

 

Carl narrowed his eyes, “What is it V, huh? Everybody likes me, everybody wants to date me and I chose you; it's an honor, treat it like one.”

 

Carl had backed the barista up against one of the machines and got a very icy glare and a hissed reply in return, “I think you should go back to work now; you do not want an Avenger to interfere do you?”

 

He nodded at the door behind Carl who whipped around in time to see Vision walk in followed by the Falcon. Carl cursed under his breath and took a step back allowing Victory to escape. Carl sent him one last meaningful look before turning to deal with the other patrons that started coming through the door.

 

Victory smiled as the two Avengers approached the counter, “Either it is destiny or you must really like my coffee for you to save me twice now.”

 

Sam raised an eyebrow as Vision turned a darker shade of magenta, “What’s this? You saving random baristas now?”

 

Victory laughed, “We met when he saved me from falling off a ladder.”

 

“What were you doing falling off ladders?”

 

Victory waved a hand at him, “That is not important now. He saved me and that is all that matters.”

 

“Well I don’t blame Viz for saving someone as pretty as you.” Sam winked at the barista who laughed, “Do you compliment every barista you meet or am I just special Falcon?”

 

Sam laughed, “Just you. Definitely the prettiest one I’ve ever met.” He stuck his hand out, “and it's Sam, Sam Wilson.”

 

Victory smiled and accepted his hand, “Victory Hope Pendragon.”

 

Sam brought the barista’s hand up to his mouth and kissed his knuckles causing him to laugh, “I didn’t know we were in the presence of royalty. Why didn’t you tell me Viz, could have saved me from embarrassment.”

 

Vision looked confused, “I do not understand.”

 

Victory smiled as he took his hand back and placed them both on the counter, “My last name is Pendragon which is usually associated with the King Arthur legends; hence ‘royalty’.”

 

“And he’s british,” said Sam enthusiastically, “it all fits!”

 

Victory laughed again and swept a piece of red hair away from his eyes, “So assuming you did not just come in here to save random baristas, what can I get you both?”

* * *

_About an hour later_

 

“This is going to sound super weird, but man, I taste _good!_ ”

 

Victory giggled at the expression on Vision’s face at that comment and nearly put too much whipped cream in the coffee he was making, “You are going to get me fired!”

 

Sam flashed him a grin, “If you ever do I can guarantee you’ll get a job at the compound just making coffee; it’d probably come with great benefits too.”

 

“The Avengers’ personal coffee barista, just what I wanted to do with my life.”

 

“Alright, alright well, what do you want to do?”

 

Victory smiled as he placed the lid on the coffee and passed it to its owner, “I’m currently getting my psychology license.”

 

“Really?” Asked Sam, intrigued. He leaned against the counter as Victory started on his next drink, “Have you thought of what kind? Children? Adult? Vet? I work with war vets and helping them get reacclimated to civilization after their tours.”

 

“Well,” began Victory, “I was actually thinking of being a-”

 

“I am sorry to interrupt,” said Vision, “But we were supposed to be back at the tower an hour ago.”

 

Victory raised an eyebrow at Sam who blushed, “Where were you supposed to bring drinks back to the rest of the Avengers an hour ago?”

 

“Yes,” replied Vision simply, while Sam just sipped at his drink and declined to answer.

 

Victory shook his head and handed the latte to the customer. He then asked the two to wait for a moment before disappearing into the back. Sam exchanged a look with Vision, “You have any clue what he’s doing?”

 

Vision shrugged, “Last time he did this he came back with a free drink.”

 

Sam looked over at him, “He what?”

 

They both looked up as Victory came back balancing three trays with drinks in his arms. Vision quickly rushed forward to relieve him of two and Sam plucked the third out of the barista’s hands, “You are a god Victory! Did you have all these premade just in case we came in?”

 

Victory grinned, “Vision did say we would be seeing more of each other considering that Mr.Stark and I quote, ‘is in love with the coffee.”

 

“Well he wasn’t wrong,” said Sam hefting the tray in one hand and his drink in the other, “We probably shouldn’t keep them waiting any longer; I dread what Nat is going to do when we return.”

 

“Then go,” said Victory, making a shooing motion with his hands, “before you get into anymore trouble with your teammates.”

 

Sam grinned, “Couldn’t persuade you to accompany us? If we showed up with a pretty barista Nat won’t kill us!”

 

Victory just shook his head and laughed, “Go!”

 

Sam winked at him then swept out of the cafe. Vision gave Victory a smile before following Sam out the door. Victory smiled at the two Avengers then turned to the patron next in line, “And what can I get you today?”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Read, Review, Enjoy!


	3. The Avengers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Victory gets to meet the rest of the Avengers on a coffee run.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Guess who gets to see Avengers Infinity Wars today!!!! So excited!!!! Sorry for the late update, but I was stuck on this chapter and didn't know how to finish it. But I did it!! Here you go...and I don't own anything!!

Chapter 3: The Avengers

 

>   _“Before you come to me with any nonsense, ask yourself if it looks like I’ve had my coffee”_
> 
> _~Nanea Hoffman_

 

_The Front Gates, Avengers Compound_

 

Victory was very close to freaking out; in excitement of course. The cafe had gotten a call from the new Avengers Compound in upstate New York saying the Avengers wanted coffee _delivered_ to the compound itself. The employee who had answered the call, a girl named Liv, had tapped Victory’s shoulder and had eagerly beckoned him over with wide eyes. When Victory had eventually made it over she had excitedly whispered that someone was calling from the _Avengers Compound_ and do we deliver?

 

Victory honestly had no clue if the cafe delivered or not, it had never come up when he first started working here. He couldn’t call Alex, she was on vacation, and he definitely did not want to ask Carl, which meant he had to figure it out by himself. Liv had tapped him again and said they were asking if Victory himself would deliver and, wow! did he know the Avengers?

 

At that point Victory decided he might as well deliver to the Avengers, what was the harm? He got Liv to hang up with a promise that, yes he was going to deliver the coffee, and he dragged her over to the machines to help him make said coffees.

 

Now, he was at the compound’s front gates looking through them at the sprawling grass scape and the numerous buildings that housed the famous heroes. He reached over, pressed the intercom button, and held it down as he spoke, “Hello? I have coffee for the Avengers?”

 

The intercom crackled before a voice spoke, “Name.”

 

“Victory Pendragon; Victory Hope Pendragon.”

 

“Hold.”

 

Victory waited, his fingers tapping anxiously against his thighs. The intercom crackled, “You are clear to enter.”

 

Victory pressed the button, “Thank you.”

 

He looked up as the gates opened, he went through and rode up to the entrance of the compound. He had just dismounted and was opening up the containers which held the coffees, when the doors opened, “Is that a horse? Who rides horses anymore? This is New York not Texas.”

 

“Thank you for the astute notice Mr. Stark, but horsepower has always been my mode of transportation.”

 

Tony Stark a.k.a. Iron Man walked out of the compound and looked down at the barista and horse. Victory patted his horse’s neck, he was a Shire horse and stood at 17 hands tall. He was all black except around his legs which were feathered and white; his name was Soundwave and he was three years old.

 

Tony walked down the stairs and sauntered over to the barista, “Call me Tony, I feel weird when people call me Mr. Stark; makes me feel old.”

 

Victory elected to not respond and simply handed Stark- Tony, a container full of coffee, “Here, hold this.”

 

Tony raised an eyebrow underneath his tinted sunglasses, “Aren’t you supposed to bring the coffees in barista boy?”

 

“Victory and this is Soundwave.”

 

He patted the horses neck. Soundwave snorted and looked down his nose at the small human then tapped his left front hoove against the ground in impatience. Victory smiled and unloaded the rest of the coffees, nudging Soundwave’s side with his hip, “Alright you impatient horse go and eat the Avengers’ grass.”

 

Tony smirked, “The gardeners won’t be happy about that.”

 

“I would like to see them try and move him.”

 

“Alright come on, the others are waiting for their coffee and I don’t want to meet a coffee deprived Black Widow at 9 in the morning.”

Tony walked back up the front stairs and went inside the compound; Victory looked at Soundwave to find the horse happily munching on grass, before following the Avenger inside. Victory stared around; there were former SHIELD agents bustling about busy, or acting busy. He followed Tony through the busy compound corridors and up a quick elevator ride to the third floor.

 

When the doors opened the first thing Victory noticed was the shouting and yelling that came from the living room. Victory stepped fully into the room and saw that four of the Avengers, Sam, Clint, Scott, and Pietro, were playing Mario Kart and yelling at the screen. Bruce Banner was on the couch reading a medical journal, Wanda was engrossed in a novel, Natasha was painting her nails blood red, Steve was drawing, and Rhodey was scrolling on a tablet.  

 

Steve was the first person to look up when he heard the elevator doors ding open and see Tony and Victory, “Coffee’s here guys.”

 

He put his sketchbook aside and got up to help relieve the barista. He took one of the trays and stuck his other hand out, “Steve Rogers.”

 

Victory smiled up at him and shook his hand, “Victory Pendragon.”

 

“You know he probably knows all our names, so the introduction wasn’t really necessary,” said Tony offhandedly as he walked completely into the room and set the coffees down on the table.

 

“Just being polite Tony,” said Steve with a small head shake before relieving Victory of the other tray.

 

“Son of a-,” Clint swore as he threw down his controller in defeat, while Sam smirked and raised his controller over his head in victory. Scott rolled his eyes and Pietro complained about Sam always winning, “You’re just ticked that I’m faster than you _Quicksilver,_ ” said Sam with a victorious smirk.

 

Pietro shot Sam a very undignified glare, “You are not faster than m-,” he caught sight of Victory over Sam’s shoulder trying very hard, and failing, to hide a smile.

 

Sam noticed Pietro’s gaze shift to some point behind him and he glanced over his shoulder. Sam grinned, “Well if it isn’t Victory the barista! How’re you doing? Need to be saved again?”

 

Victory stopped trying to suppress a smile, “Thankfully I have not managed to get myself into a position like last time, but I will keep your offer in mind.”

 

Sam grinned, “Just let me know when babe.”

 

Pietro got up and zipped over causing Victory’s red white hair to fly around, startling the barista. Pietro took in the odd hair, slim frame, green eyes, and british accent; he was cute; very cute. He smirked and took one of those slim hands and brushed his lips across the knuckles, “ Ste krásny ako anjel.”

 

Victory tilted his head in confusion, not recognizing the language. Wanda snorted into her book, “Really Pietro? ‘You are as beautiful as an angel?’ Cliche much?”

 

Pietro stuck his tongue out at his sister, while Victory blushed and tucked a piece of hair behind his ear. There was another snort and Clint strolled up with an iced Captain Americano in his hand, “Was that really the best you could come up with?”

 

Pietro glared at Clint, “Like you can do better!”

 

Clint smirked and turned toward Victory who had been looking between the two heroes in slight confusion. The archer took the brits’ hand, “When do you have to go back to heaven? Because I’ve crawled up from hell for you.”

 

There was silence, then Victory giggled which caused a chain reaction among the heroes who heard the pickup line. Wanda started giggling into her book, while Sam, Pietro, and Scott laughed out loud at Clint’s horrid attempt. Natasha just shook her head and went back to painting her nails and Tony, Rhodey, and Steve all groaned.

 

“That was worse than the time Tony was drunk and flirted with a potted plant,” said Rhodey.

 

Tony sent his friend a scandalous look, “I thought we agreed to never bring that up!”

 

Sam, Clint, and Pietro snickered and received a half glare from the inventor, “Whatever. At least I don’t remember that; Clint will be stuck remembering that for a very long time. Never letting that go.”

 

Clint rolled his eyes and opened his mouth, but Victory cut in, still giggling, “It was pretty bad.”

 

Clint clapped a hand to his heart, “What are you saying? That line works every time! How do you think I got my wife?”

 

Natasha snorted, “Not that way I can assure you.”

 

Clint shot the assassin a fake-hurt look and was about to say something when there was a small ‘boom’ from the kitchen. Dark grey smoke started pouring in from the kitchen setting the fire alarms off, which also caused the sprinklers to turn on; in the entire building. People started screaming and shouting from the floors below, while on the current floor there was a lot of yelling and shouting of _‘turn the damn sprinklers off Stark!!’_ Tony did manage to get the sprinklers to turn off, though not before all the Avengers got soaked. There was grumbling and Natasha was giving Tony a stare that promised death or at least lots of pain if her coffee was ruined.

 

Steve wrung out his shirt, “Tony what happened?”

 

Tony shrugged, “Don’t know Cap, came from the kitchen. Friday?”

 

_“It seems that Prince Odinson, the Valkyrie twins, and the Vision were attempting to make...something unidentifiable.”_

 

The heroes looked at each other in confusion then looked at the kitchen door as Thor came out followed by the twins and Vision, “Friends! We apologize for starting a fire in the kitchen, but it seems your cooking mechanisms did not want to give us back the food.”

 

“Uh, what?” Said Scott in confusion.

 

“Thor and Apollo were trying to reheat leftovers in the microwave and it would not open backup when the time was done, so they proceeded to...try and force it open,” explained Vision.

 

Tony stared dumbstruck at the two demigods, while Artemis casually said, “I would not go into the kitchen any time soon.”

 

Tony didn’t seem to know what to say and continued staring at the two until Rhodey gently sat him down into a chair. The rest of the Avengers wrung out their clothing or shook their hair causing water droplets to sprinkle out. Natasha was the only one who continued sipping her coffee (thankfully finding it still warm) and painting her nails as if nothing happened.

 

Victory looked around at the wet heroes then picked up an untouched tray of coffees, held them out to the demigods, and said, “Coffee?”

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So Apollo and Artemis are my OCs and they are Valkyries with some very chaotic powers. I don't want to get into their history at the moment because I might use it later.  
> Hoped you liked it!! Thanks to all who are reading of following. Feel free to give me an idea of any future chapters!


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